Since the 1940’s, the only bees raised for agricultural pollination are the honey bee, a few domesticated bumble bee species, and the alfalfa leafcutter bee.

Of these bees, the only bee native to North America is the bumblebee.

Recently, the blue orchard mason bee has been recognized as a viable pollinator for spring crops but pollinating with this native bee has yet to gain widespread adoption.

Research continues to show that the most effective pollinators are native bees who carry pollen dry and loose on their hairy bodies. Scientific knowledge of native bees can be very detailed but there are still many unanswered questions about how best to raise native hole-nesting bees.